Royal's Reliable: Camou is Highlanders' go-to player

Photos by JOSEPH A. GARCIA/THE STAR
Royal High School water polo player Jesse Camou has 140 goals this season with 94 steals and 53 assists.

Ventura County Star

In the four years Royal High's Jesse Camou has been a varsity boys water polo player, he has played in two CIF-Southern Section Division championship games.

Camou was on a co-Marmonte League championship team his freshman year, the last time the Highlanders beat the two-time reigning CIF champion Agoura Chargers.

"Jesse is the best player in Ventura County when you play him one on one," coach Steve Snyder said.

Camou has the capability to score six to eight goals a game for the Highlanders, who are battling for a share of the Marmonte League championship with Agoura.

Camou has 140 goals this season with 94 steals and 53 assists.

"He has been a three-year starter," Snyder said.

It takes two or three defenders to slow him down.

"You can't stop him." Snyder said.

"Jesse is an all-around standout," teammate Cameron Knudsen said. "He's a key asset to our team. I don't know where we would be without him."

Knudsen, a three-year varsity player and co-team captain, and Camou have known each other since their youth water polo days.

Royal (16-8, 7-1) will host Agoura on Thursday in the second-round rematch. Agoura won the first game 14-10.

"They had eight players (score), and we had only three," Snyder said.

Camou was first off the bench as a freshman.

"The team we had last year was very close," Camou said. "We all hung out."

Losing quality players from graduation from the 2011 team, Camou knew his team needed him to step up on offense.

Camou, 17, started playing with the Simi Seals when he was 11, went on to play for Ventura County Premier and has been a part of the Rose Bowl Water Polo Club the last two seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Star All-Ventura County first-team player from 2011 is following in his brother's footsteps. Josh, 20, started playing youth water polo, and Jesse is looking to play in a Division I program next year in college.